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Issue #0 - "Yesterday"
Written by Andrew Perron and Edward Protera
-*G*-
[ The cover is green holofoil. It shows an outer space scene; a planet
with the sun rising over its edge, giving sharp backlighting to the
silhouette of what appears to be a shattered moon. Around the viewer's
vantage point, the long, pointed noses of huge spaceships are aimed
dead center on the planet below, its surface smeared with blotches of
holofoiled silver. ]
-*G*-
The unblinking mechanical eye of an AI-operated warship surveyed a
world wracked by war and the sprawl of an unrelenting mechanical
plague, orbiting high above, beneath the shattered remains of an
alabaster moon, the fragments scorched and pockmarked with fresh scars.
The consciousness behind that eye would heave a sigh, had it the breath
to do so.
The planet was dying - no; it was in the midst of its death rattle.
Its feeble tremblings were a barely-heard gasp, begging for death - a
request the construct knew it would have to oblige.
Hundreds of other vessels, both manned and unmanned, floated solemn
and silent, each positioned above one of the massive smears of tainted
land that covered the planet they had called home. Every one of these
nation-sized blotches of tarnished silver, gleaming dully in the
sunlight, was a monument to the rot that had consumed their world.
The sentience paused for several seconds, thinking, running through
all of the options available, only to come to the same conclusion it
had hundreds of times before. Total incineration of the planet's
biosphere was the only way to destroy the planetborne infection at this
point, and it knew this; it had ordered a planetwide evacuation in
preparation. But what if there had been a better solution, only a
simple calculation away?
There was no use wasting clock cycles. As soon as the decision was
made, it was carried out. The order was a simple one - "Fire." The
AIís feminine voice, solemn and quiet, echoed through the bridges of
the manned vessels, and through the electronic brains of those that
were unmanned - but not uncrewed.
Almost simultaneously, thousands of massive turrets swerved and
locked into place at the command, shafts pointed at the planet far
below like so many accusing fingers. Luminous green energy danced and
arced across their yawning mouths, a glow rivalling that of the sun
forming deep within. The vessels' other lights dimmed, then petered
out entirely. Even the primal power of the mighty atom was dwarfed by
the energies that poured into the batteries.
Shafts of emerald light lanced to the planet below, outshining the
jealous sun, scorching great swaths of land as the infection tried to
retreat from their energy.
And then it happened. All over the globe, massive fireballs began
to spread. The atmosphere itself caught fire, incinerating the blight
beyond recognition even as it fled. Oceans began to boil and entire
forests burst aflame like twigs even before the waves hit, only to be
reduced to ash and vapor in their wake.
The beams of light died as the inferno began to gain a life of its
own. The fleet drifted, silent and dark, high above. Several vessels
lay shattered, torn apart as the terrible fury proved too great to
contain, but most survived, remaining dark to mourn the immense loss
they had inflicted upon themselves.
And soon, it was done. The infection was purged. But in its place
lay a truly dead planet, its surface charred and blackened. Feeble
embers dotted the landscape, struggling to burn in the depleted
atmosphere.
And now? Now, they must rebuild. It would be long, and hard,
but--
Wait.
The tumbling lunar fragments. A small subroutine had been idly
plotting their trajectories, as one might drum one's fingers in
tension. But there was one-- no, three-- no, a dozen pieces whose
motion was outside the margin of error.
Suddenly, instinctively - if entirely manufactured beings can be
said to have instincts - it knew. A back-up plan. Seeds that lay
waiting, waiting for the opportunity to flee to some other unfortunate
world... and start the process over again.
Orders blasted through the fleet, riding waves swifter by far than
radio. Intercept! Disable! Destroy! The manned ships were still
wholly blind, drifting under minimal power, and were slow to move as
their reactors strained to reactivate. The AI ships were more ready by
far, but the massive expenditure of energy had taken its toll on them
as well, and the fleet, all in all, was only able to destroy nine of
the seeds before they were able to shed their terrestrial husks and
begin their flights.
The three that remained had escaped. They were fast - faster than
anything the fleet had left; they were on courses for inhabited worlds,
all of which were too technologically backward to even begin to face
such a threat.
This was the most dire of circumstances. The darkest of hours. At
this point, it was the worst of possibilities.
But the enemy were not the only ones to make backup plans...
-*G*-
And now the fun really begins! Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to
anime-influenced high-octane science-fiction fun. Welcome to
Biomechanical Angel GENESIS!
--Andrew
Welcome indeed. This project's been in the works, one way or
another, for over a year now, starting the day I showed Andrew the
first episode of the anime 'King of Braves GaoGaiGar'. That's likely
the biggest single influence here; I'll explain more about the
evolution of Genesis the character another time, but suffice it to say,
this wouldn't be here if not for that show.
Let me be perfectly clear: We want and need critique. Especially
me, as I'm the less experienced writer of the pair, though I'm sure
Drew will welcome it as well. Opinions! Things you liked! Things you
didn't! We're all ears (well, eyes)!
--Edward